A very difficult part of English is using in, on, and at.
Let’s practice some examples of how to use them.
In: Remember that “in” usually means 中 We use in when we talk about inside something. We can be inside an object or it can talk about time. For example,
There are walnuts in the cake. ケーキの中にクルミがあります。
In October I will go to Tokyo. 10月に東京に行く。
Please get in my car and let’s go home. 私の車に入って家に帰る。
On: We use on to describe when we can stand on top of something. の上に We also use on for talking about days in a week/month. For example,
I rode on a horse yesterday. 私は昨日馬に乗った。
I have a dentist appointment on Thursday. 私は木曜日に歯科医の予定を持っています。
In some situations it is okay to use both in and on.
I rode in a bus. “or” I rode on a bus. (The reason is because you are inside the bus and the floor is big so you stand on top of the bus floor.)
I rode on the subway. “or” I rode in the subway. (It is the same as a bus. We are inside the subway and we also stand on top of the floor while riding the subway.)
There are walnuts on the cake. There are walnuts in the cake. There are walnuts in and on the cake.
At: At is used to tell us the place something happens (で）. For example,
I studied at home yesterday. 私は昨日家で勉強した。
On Friday there is a concert at Fukuoka Dome. (We can also say “On Friday there is a concert in Fukuoka Dome.”) 金曜日に福岡ドームでコンサートがあります。
